setting up photoshop for 16bit?

[Trbo323]

so the other day i noticed my files are coming into my computer in 16bit but my output psd files are 8bit. how do i set up PS to use 16bit the whole way through?

 

[KmH]

That is called bit-depth. It will depend what version of Photoshop you have, which you don't mention. PsE is pretty much limited to an 8-bit depth and many of the tools/filters/functions in PS CS can only be used in 8-bit mode.

If you have Psw CS click on Image > Mode> and selelct 16 bits/channel in the drop down box.

Have your keyboard checked out. It appears your shift key is not working. Most TPF members make the needed capital letters and proper punctuation.

 

[Trbo323]

Awesome, found it thank you

 

[Garbz]

One thing to mention is that if you need to actually select 16bit mode, then the image wasn't opened in 16bit to begin with. If this is the case look through the CameraRAW plugin window. It'll give you the option of what bitdepth to open the image. file then you'll need to

Also once is 16bit always in 16bit. If you want to save the image as a JPEG or another 8bit format don't use the same method to convert back to 8bit. Either flatten all layers first before the conversion, or use the "Save for Web and Devices" dialog to save the file or you'll end up undoing all the hard work.

 

[Trbo323]

for anything im seriously working on i use PSD format, i shoot in raw and only save separate files to JPEG when needing to give digital copies to friends or my models

so when saving as a JPEG it goes into a 8-bit format is what your saying?

 

[Garbz]

JPEG is an 8bit format. There's no avoiding that.

More to my point was the fact that Photoshop will undo all you lovely 16bit work IF you convert to 8bit BEFORE flatting all the layers in the image, and by that I mean all processing is reverted to 8bit on all layers, and since calculations are not fixed or final between layers what you end up with is an image no better than if you were to work in 8bit from the beginning. So when saving a JPEG use the "save for web and devices" dialog as anything done within this dialog will not affect the image you're working on in photoshop.

 

[Trbo323]

but if i already have a flattened image in PS then why does it matter which dialog I use? its going to convert it to 8 bit no matter what right?

i must be missing something here

 

[Garbz]

On a flat image it makes no difference. What you see on the screen is what you get. There's no calculations going on to display the final image, and it's just showing the layers.

However on an image with layers, what you see on the screen is the mathematical result of all of the layers you have on the image. If you process this image in 16bit, and then convert to 8bit, all those calculations done to display your final image revert to 8bit.

If you flatten the image in 16bit, the calculations are done one final time in 16bit and your conversion to 8bit doesn't have any effect since all visible colours in the sRGB gamut can be represented in 8bits.

The Save For Web and Devices dialogue has the same effect. It still processes all layers in 16bit and then downconverts the final result.



Ooooh forgot to mention this only affects Photoshop CS4 and earlier. Photoshop CS5 will allow you to select JPEG even if the current image mode is 16bit, CS4 will require the current image mode to be 8bit before you get the option to save.

 

[Trbo323]

ok so let me see if i have this right, if i have my layered image in 16bit then flatten it in 16, then save as jpeg it is preserving more info right? i could also with my layered 16bit image use the save for web dialog (which kinda confused me when i tried the other day) option which basically does the same thing and preserves the info?

but what i dont want to do is save my layered 16bit image as a jpeg without flattening it?

 

[Joseph Westrupp]

but what i dont want to do is save my layered 16bit image as a jpeg without flattening it?

If you're using CS5, there's no issue, because you can save straight to JPEG from 16 bit. If you're using CS4 or earlier, flatten in 16 bit first, then convert to 8 bit, then save.

 

[Garbz]

but what i dont want to do is save my layered 16bit image as a jpeg without flattening it?

If you're using CS5, there's no issue, because you can save straight to JPEG from 16 bit.

And that's exactly the problem. If your using CS4 or earlier you won't be given the option to save as a JPEG unless your working in 8bit, and if you convert to 8bit before flattening you've toasted the image.

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

Also, its worth mentioning, that many filters will be unavailable in 16bit mode depending on your version.

 

[cidrmakr]

When the raw file is demosaiced in acr, the options (the link at the bottom in acr) sets whether 8 bit or 16 bit, which color space, and resolution. After adjustments in acr you then open in ps so it ends up whatever you set acr for. 16 bit has a lot of advantages, particularly if you also set color mode for prophoto, in that you can do a lot of adjustments and still not end up with a spiked histogram. When at a point that you need the filters that won't work in 16 bit, if you are using prophoto you need to convert the color mode to adobe98 first then convert to 8 bit. If you have a super shot master file that you want to save just save it first, duplicate it, rename, and do the conversions on it. When all done just flatten and save as a jpg. The ONLY TIME you ever want to us "save for web and devices" is if you are actually going to make an image for facebook, etc.; otherwise always use "save as" instead. Big difference in print quality. Of course, if you need both forms of jpg then you need to duplicate again OR use the export panel in bridge to make a small one.

 

[Garbz]

if you are using prophoto you need to convert the color mode to adobe98 first then convert to 8 bit.

Only if you want just slightly less banding than you would if you just had left it. AdobeRGB's gamut has more possible colour combinations than can be expressed in 8bit. The only time you should convert to 8bit is if your image is sRGB.

Mind you for 99% of the people out there this doesn't matter. You only get advantages of wider gamuts if you use a medium which can display the wider gamuts. The internet is not one of those mediums. For expensive prints yes, use wide gamuts, also use high bitdepths, and if you intend to do exactly as you did then I would go over my final image with a fine tooth comb before hitting the save button. Depending on your image it may or may not matter.

 

[Joseph Westrupp]

if you are using prophoto you need to convert the color mode to adobe98 first then convert to 8 bit.

Only if you want just slightly less banding than you would if you just had left it. AdobeRGB's gamut has more possible colour combinations than can be expressed in 8bit. The only time you should convert to 8bit is if your image is sRGB.

Mind you for 99% of the people out there this doesn't matter. You only get advantages of wider gamuts if you use a medium which can display the wider gamuts. The internet is not one of those mediums. For expensive prints yes, use wide gamuts, also use high bitdepths, and if you intend to do exactly as you did then I would go over my final image with a fine tooth comb before hitting the save button. Depending on your image it may or may not matter.

So converting to 8 bit while still in Adobe RGB could actually be detrimental to the final image?